Combination shelters



Dec. 9, 1958 F. E. HEARELL 2,863,467

COMBINATION SHELTERS Filed Jan. 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi .5 a

Fig.4 29

Fred E. Haarel/ INVENTOR.

Dec. 9, 1958* F. E. HEARELL 2, 3,

COMBINATION SHELTERS 4 Filed Jan. 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6

25 Fred E. He are/l IN VEN TOR.

. 29 BY MM vMiq United States Patent Ofifice 2,863,467 Patented Dec. 9, 1958 My invention relates to improvements in combination shelters for use especially, although not necessarily, at beaches by bathers.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a tent for use by bathers for undressing and dressing on a beach 'and which embodies a separately usable beach umbrella.

Another object is to provide a tent embodying a separately usable beach umbrella forming a roof for the gent and having a separable top adapted for use as a oat.

Still another object is to provide an umbrella top forming a roof for the tent and which is inflatable to hold the same open and render it buoyant for use as a float.

Still another object is to provide in such a tent at side sheet separately usable as a blanket.

Yet another object is to provide a tent having a ribless umbrella top for the roof thereof and which is adapted to be quickly and easily erected on a beach, or the like, or collapsed, or disassembled, and folded into a compact bundle for transportation or storage, and which is inexpensive to manufacture, and durable.

Other and subordinate objects, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the following description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved tent shelter in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the side sheet de' tached and spread out for use as a blanket;

Figure 3 is an inverted view in perspective of the umbrella top;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of sections of the staff;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one of a plurality of stakes for attaching the side sheet to the ground;

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the umbrella;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical transverse section of the umbrella;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view in transverse section taken on the line 99 of Figure 1; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 10--10 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the shelter of my invention comprises a tent which is generally circular and is designated generally by the numeral 1, and which, with the exceptions presently noted, is preferably formed of heavy pliant plastic.

The tent 1 comprises an umbrella, designated generally by the numeral 3, including a top 5, providing a roof for the tent, an umbrella staff 7 forming a center pole for the tent, and a side sheet 9 circumposing the to 5.

Ihe umbrella top is hollow to be inflated with air for holding the same open and to render it buoyant and when opened and inflated is dome-shaped as shown. It is formed of inner and outer walls 11, 13 joined together,

preferably integrally, at the edge 14 of said top and which are concave-convex when the top 5 is open, the inner wall 11 being smaller in diameter than the outer wall 13 for a purpose presently apparent.

An axial connecting socket 15 for the staff 7 is formed integrally, preferably, with the walls 11, 13 and the outer wall 13 is formed, internally of said top 5, with radial creases, or folds, 17 grouped around and spaced from the socket 15.

The socket 15 spaces the walls 11, 13 apart at the center of said top and the creases, or folds, 17 gradually deepen from the edge 14 to increasingly space said walls 11, 13 apart from the edge 14 toward the center of the top so that said top 5 is hollow and crescent-shaped in cross-section.

A scalloped skirt 19 depends from the edge 14 of the top 5 and is provided with snap fastener devices 21 for attaching the side sheet 9 to said top in a manner presently described.

An air inlet valve 23 of the conventional tire valve type is provided in the inner wall 11 for inflating the top 5 from a suitable source of air under pressure.

The staff 7 is formed of upper, lower, and intermediate sections 25, 27, 29 of aluminum tubing detachably connected together by a reduced end 31 on the lower section 27 fitting in the intermediate section 29 which is formed with a reduced end 33 fitting in the upper section 25. The uppersection 25 fits in the socket 15 to support the umbrella top 5 and lower section 31 is pointed, as at 35, for driving of the staff 7 into ground.

The side sheet 9 is generally rectangular in shape and of suflicient length to encircle the skirt 19 and form an enclosure and is provided along one longitudinal edge with snap fastener devices 37 complemental to the snap fastener devices 21 whereby said sheet may be attached to and suspended from said skirt 19 to form an enclosure with the umbrella top 5 as a roof thereof. Obviously, the side sheet 9 is readily detachable from the skirt 19 and umbrella top 5.

Stakes 41 are provided for driving into the ground 43 through openings 45 in the other longitudinal edge of the side sheet 9 to secure said edge to the ground with the side sheet 9 arranged in circular formation.

Zipper slide fastener tapes 47, 49 are provided on the ends of the side sheet 9 for connecting said ends together by the usual runner 51 to form a fly front for the tent 1.

The shelter is erected to form the tent 1, as shown in Figure 1, by first attaching the sections 25, 27, 29 of the staff 7 together and driving the staff into the ground 43, then, preferably, inflating the umbrella top 5 to hold it open, and positioning said top on the staff 7 and finally attaching the side sheet 9 to the skirt 19 and staking the side sheet to the ground all in a manner which will be readily understood from the foregoing. At this point, it is to be noted, that the umbrella top may be formed of plastic sufficiently stiff for said top to hold it open but foldable.

The side sheet 9 as will be clear, can be detached for use of the umbrella 7, as a beach umbrella, as shown in Figures 5, and use of the side sheet 9 as a blanket. The umbrella top 5 may be removed from the staff 7 and when inflated used as a buoyant float in the water.

The manner in which the parts of the described shelter may be disassembled, or taken apart, will be apparent. In this connection, it is to be noted that sections 25, 27, 27 of the staff 7, when detached, together with the stakes 41, and the umbrella-top 5, when folded downwardly, may be wrapped in the side sheet 9, or rolled therein to form a compact comparatively small bundle for transporting or storage.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An umbrella including a staff and a top on said staff including inner and outer walls of air and water impervious material having outer edges connected together, said .inner wall being smaller than said outer wall and said outer wall having radial creases therein between said Walls gradually deepening from said edges toward the center of said top to render .said top hollow io'r sinflation and'crescentshaped in cross-sectionwheninflated, and an air .valve in one wall for introducing .air :intosaid top to inflat said :top, said itoprhavinga centersoketTfor said staff ofa depth substantially the same :as :the thickness .of said top, 'the material which "forms the top also forming the socket, said creases being grouped around said socket and spacedv therefrom.

References Cited in 4 3 the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Peace Dec. 19, 1882 Gray Apr. 19, 1887 Rurnrille Nov. 15, 1887 Vaghi Aug. 17, 1909 Stonestreet Nov. 22, 1921 Bocchino et al. May 25, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Aug. 21, 1947 

